Home-delivered Meals

Ruth greets Nicole and Paul who volunteer for the Meals on Wheels program provided by Santa Maria Community Services with funding from Council on Aging.

For many older adults, getting at least one nutritious meal a day can be a challenge. Physical disability, illness, and lack of support or transportation are common barriers that prevent many seniors from preparing food or traveling to a group meal location such as a church, senior center or school.

"I am a widow and have to cook for one. If it weren't for the [home-delivered] meals, I wouldn't be able to stay in my home. The volunteers are wonderful people and the meals go along with my special diet…it is a great blessing all the way around." - Ruth (pictured at right)

Staying healthy, independent

Council on Aging's mission is to enhance the lives of older adults by assisting them to remain independent at home through a range of quality services. Home-delivered meals are an important part of that mission and are one of many services offered through COA that promote independence.              

Home-delivered meals offer many homebound older adults a sense of connection to the outside world. Meal deliverers check on the welfare of the homebound elderly and often become friends. They are trained to report any health or other problems they may notice during their visits.

The home-delivered meal program also works to improve the nutrition of homebound older adults. All meals provide at least one-third of the government's daily-recommended dietary allowances.

Each year, COA provides more than 2 million meals to 10,000 homebound older adults in Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren counties.

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Eligibility

Eligibility for home-delivered meals is determined by nutritional need, not financial need. Meals on Wheels recipients may have the financial means to shop for groceries, but for one reason or another, they can not cook for themselves or travel to a group meal site, and they do not have daily help to prepare meals.

To qualify for home-delivered meals, you must be:

• At least 60 years old
• Unable to safely prepare a meal
• Unable to get help from others to prepare a meal
• Unable to get to a group meal site, such as a church or senior center
• Unable to leave your home due to health problems
• The spouse of someone receiving home-delivered meals
  

A meal is prepared by one of our quality meal providers and delivered directly to your door by a friendly volunteer or staff person. Delivered meals can be hot, chilled or frozen and can be prepared to meet special dietary needs (diabetic, dietary restrictions, etc.).

Funding and Cost

To give older adults access to nutritious meals, COA provides home-delivered meals through three programs:

1. the U.S. Administration on Aging's Elderly Nutrition Program
2. PASSPORT (Ohio's Medicaid waiver home care program)
3. locally-funded Elderly Services Programs
   

Home-delivered meals are free of charge. However, our funding does not cover the full cost of preparing and delivering meals. Your donation will allow us to reach out to more homebound seniors and help with the increasing cost for preparation and delivery. Donations of any size are accepted and appreciated.

Your meal provider will explain how you may make a donation.

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How to Enroll

For information about receiving home-delivered meals, call:

Butler: (513) 868-9281
Clermont: (513) 724-1255
Clinton: (937) 382-7170
Hamilton: (513) 721-1025
Warren: (513) 695-2231

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